Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would-be chairman Zaka Ashraf has threatened to get the 2023 Asia Cup canceled as he is not on board with the hybrid model approved by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Notably, ACC has announced that the 2023 edition of the Asia Cup will be held in a hybrid model with Pakistan and Sri Lanka hosting the 13 matches.
While Pakistan will get to host four matches, the remaining nine games will be staged in Sri Lanka. All the ACC members including Pakistan have agreed to this. In fact, it was PCB who came up with this hybrid model. But, Najam Sethi stepping down as PCB Chief has undone all the work.
Ashraf is not okay with Pakistan getting only four games and that too “inconsequential games”. The touted new PCB Chief wants that Pakistan hosts the entire tournament if it has the hosting rights.
“The first point is that I had rejected the hybrid model (for Asia Cup) in the past itself – because I do not agree with it. The board of the Asian Cricket Council had decided that it should be held in Pakistan, then we should host it,” Ashraf said during a press conference in the Pakistan capital on Wednesday as quoted by PTI.
Will Asia Cup be called off?
Zaka Ashraf not agreeing to the approved model surely puts the 2023 Asia Cup in jeopardy. While the Asian Cricket Council will figure out what is to be done to Ashraf’s challenge, the continental showpiece event will not get canceled even if it means playing without Pakistan.
The PTI report claimed that ACC will host the 2023 Asia Cup as a five-nation tournament if Pakistan does not come on board.
“The Asia Cup model has been accepted by ACC and there would be no change. Ashraf is free to say whatever he wants,” an ACC board member was quoted saying by PTI.
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